🛫 US FAA Team to Visit Pakistan for Direct Flight Audit
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that its technical team will visit Pakistan in September to conduct an aviation safety audit, a key step towards restoring direct flights between Pakistan and the United States.
✈️ Background
In July 2020, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and later the US FAA suspended Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights following the fake pilot licence scandal.
Since then, Pakistani passengers have had to travel to the US via connecting flights through the Middle East or Europe.
📋 Audit Focus
Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority’s (PCAA) regulatory oversight.
Safety management systems, pilot licensing procedures, and flight operations.
Compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
🚨 Current Status
Pakistan has already cleared two ICAO safety audits in recent years.
The FAA’s upcoming review will determine whether Category-1 status can be restored.
If successful, PIA could resume direct flights to major US cities, easing travel for thousands of Pakistani expatriates.
🗣️ Official Remarks
Aviation Ministry officials expressed hope that this audit would be the final step before resumption of direct services.
PIA has also upgraded aircraft maintenance and crew training protocols in preparation.
